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Batten down the Hatch: Storm abrewin’

For those who think the DMCA has tipped the IP scales way in favor of the corporations, you will just love to hear what Senator Orrin Hatch has to say. During a hearing on copyright abuses, Hatch, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, thinks copyright enforcement efforts should be strengthened up a notch or two.

"I'm interested," Hatch interrupted. He said damaging someone's computer "may be the only way you can teach somebody about copyrights."

The senator acknowledged Congress would have to enact an exemption for copyright owners from liability for damaging computers. He endorsed technology that would twice warn a computer user about illegal online behavior, "then destroy their computer."

"If we can find some way to do this without destroying their machines, we'd be interested in hearing about that," Hatch said. "If that's the only way, then I'm all for destroying their machines. If you have a few hundred thousand of those, I think people would realize" the seriousness of their actions, he said.

"There's no excuse for anyone violating copyright laws," Hatch said.

Obviously Senator Hatch has forgotten about something called the U.S. Constitution and a thing called "due process." On the other hand, his thoughts may mirror those of the U.S. Court of Appeals who believes the DMCA overrides the Constitution, allowing copyright holder bypass normal court procedures to obtain ISP customer names. It is quite scary that Hatch believes that copyright holders should be the judge, jury and (computer) executioner. It may be time to remind Hatch and other members of Congress the U.S. is supposed to have a government of, by, and for the people. Thanks to Schlimpy Chicken for the link.